strange and random happenstance

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: October 6th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen.

That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.

Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon's face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here -- it's their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon's infuriating nemesis didn't even bother to show up.

Carry On - The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters.as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story - but far, far more monsters."

OK, I'm not really sure that this book will work. Fangirl explored the fandom of a Harry Potteresque book, but to actual then write the "Harry Potter" books, which were kind of cheesy without context... this could be an epic fail. 

Hollow Earth: The Book of Beasts by John Barrowman and Carole Barrowman
Published by: Aladdin
Publication Date: October 6th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Matt and Emily Calder’s travels through time come to a thrilling conclusion in the third book of the Hollow Earth trilogy as the siblings struggle to close Hollow Earth—and keep the monsters inside.

Twins Matt and Emily Calder may be divided by time, but they are united in their mission to close Hollow Earth before the monsters inside can destroy the world. The key to success lies with their Animare talents: they can draw things into life and travel in time through art. But there are monsters outside Hollow Earth as well. Monsters intent on taking control of the beasts for themselves. And the worst monster of all is their own father…"

Woo hoo, new book in the series finally!

Cemetery Girl Book Two: Inheritance by Charlaine Harri and Christopher Golden
Published by: InkLit
Publication Date: October 6th, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Charlaine Harris, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse Novels and the Harper Connelly Mysteries, and New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden present an original graphic novel illustrated by acclaimed comic book artist Don Kramer—second in the Cemetery Girl Trilogy.

She calls herself Calexa Rose Dunhill. She has been living—hiding out—in Dunhill Cemetery ever since someone left her there to die. She has no idea who wants her dead or why, but she isn't about to wait around for her would-be killer to finish the job.

Despite her self-imposed isolation, Calexa’s ability to see spirits—and the memories she receives from them—guarantees she’ll never be alone, even among the deceased. The only living people she allows herself to interact with are Kelner, the cemetery’s cantankerous caretaker, and Lucinda Cameron, an elderly woman who lives in an old Victorian house across the street. With their friendship, Calexa has regained a link to the world beyond tombstones and mausoleums.

Until the night she witnesses a murder that shatters her life—a life now under a police microscope—as their investigation threatens to uncover Calexa’s true identity…"

Ever since I read the first installment I've been dying for book two, thankfully it's FINALLY here.

Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: October 6th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A haunting tale of intrigue from New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley.

SOMEWHERE IN THE HEART OF LEGEND

LIES THE KEY TO HER TERRIFYING DREAMS

The charm of spending the Christmas holidays in South Wales, with its crumbling castles and ancient myths, seems the perfect distraction from the nightmares that have plagued literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw since the loss of her baby five years ago.

Instead, she meets an emotionally fragile young widow who's convinced that Lyn's recurring dreams have drawn her to Castle Farm for an important purpose--and she's running out of time.

With the help of a reclusive, brooding playwright, Lyn begins to untangle the mystery and is pulled into a world of Celtic legends, dangerous prophecies, and a child destined for greatness."

Um, yes please!

Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym
Published by: Picador
Publication Date: October 6th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In 1970s London, Edwin, Norman, Letty and Marcia work in the same office and suffer the same problem - loneliness. With delightful humour, Pym takes us through their day-to-day existence: their preoccupations, their irritations, their judgements; and, perhaps most keenly felt, their worries about having somehow missed out on life as post-war Britain shifted around them. Deliciously, blackly funny and full of obstinate optimism, Quartet in Autumn shows Barbara Pym's sensitive artistry at its most sparkling. A classic from one of Britain's most loved and highly acclaimed novelists, its world is both extraordinary and familiar, revealing the eccentricities of everyday life."

Barbara Pym is one of those British authors I have heard a lot about but never read, perhaps is now the time?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barbara Pym, Carole Barrowman, Carry On, Carry on Simon, Cemetery Girl, Charlaine Harris, Christopher Golden, Fangirl, Hollow Earth, John Barrowman, Quartet in Autumn, Rainbow Rowell, Susanna Kearsley

Name: Jessica De Gouw

Dream Character Casting for the Lauren Willig Fantasy Movie Adaptation: Imogen Grantham

First Impression: Dracula, the new campy over the top tv series that is oddly but amusing done by the people who do Downton Abbey. She was not only the perfect independent Mina, but she has real chemistry with Jonathan Rhys Meyers and got to be engaged to sexy Neville Longbottom.

Why they'd be the perfect actor for the Lauren Willig Dream Movie Adaptation: Just look at her! She is the dream model for any Pre-Raphaelite painter. She has the hair, the jawline and chin, plus look at the "Dresden Triptych" from Dracula, it screams Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood! Plus she is able to do a nice transition from naivete to shattered expectations.

Lasting Impression: I've actually only seen Jessica in Dracula... so, lasting impression in one.

What else you've seen them in: Jessica hasn't been in much yet, but I'm sure she will be a big presence in film and television in years to come. Though she was in The Mystery of the Hansom Cab that I've been wanting to watch...

Can't believe it's them: Arrow! She went from supernatural to superhero pretty quickly.

Wish they hadn't: Again, Arrow. This has nothing to do with her, this has everything to do with my hatred of Arrow. Yes, I should love it, yes there are tons of good actors from John Barrowman to Alex Kingston to Jessica De Gouw. But I can't and won't get past the fact that just a year after Smallville ended here they are making a Green Arrow series when Smallville did such an amazing job with Oliver Queen's journey. Oh, and I did watch the first few episode so I could have informed hate here.

Bio: Here's something interesting... she's not English but Australian. One of the many Australians sneaking into our shows. I think there is truly an Australian power elite, Simon Baker is the treasurer. Also, there doesn't seem to be much else out there on her, I'm surprised she doesn't have more fan pages yet... ah, it will only be a matter of time.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alex Kingston, Australia, Downton Abbey, Dracula, Jessica De Gouw, John Barrowman, Lauren Willig, Pre-Raphaelite, Simon Baker, Smallville, That Summer Spotlight

The Last Word (The Spellman Files Book 6) by Lisa Lutz
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: July 9th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Spellman mysteries, a “series that keeps getting better and better” (Publishers Weekly), finds private investigator Izzy Spellman on the verge of losing everything.

Isabel Spellman is used to being followed, extorted, and questioned—all occupational hazards of working at her family’s firm, Spellman Investigations. Her little sister, Rae, once tailed Izzy for weeks on end to discover the identity of her boyfriend. Her mother, Olivia, once blackmailed Izzy with photographic evidence of Prom Night 1994. It seemed that the Spellmans would lay off after Izzy was fired for breaching client confidentiality, but then Izzy avenged her dismissal by staging a hostile takeover of the company. She should have known better than to think she could put such shenanigans behind her.

In The Last Word, Izzy’s troubles are just beginning. After her hostile takeover of Spellman Investigations, Izzy’s parents simply go on strike. Her sister, Rae, comes back into the family business with questionable motivations. Her other employees seem to be coping with anxiety disorders, and she has no idea how to pay the bills. However, her worst threat comes from someone who is no relation. Within months of assuming control of the business, Izzy is accused of embezzling from a former client, the ridiculously wealthy Mr. Slayter, who happens to have Alzheimer’s, which Izzy and he are diligently trying to keep under wraps. Not only is Slayter’s business and reputation on the line, but if Izzy gets indicted for embezzlement, she’ll lose everything—her business, her license, and her family’s livelihood. Is this the end of Izzy Spellman, PI? The answer makes The Last Word, hands down, the most thrilling book in this bestselling, award-nominated series."

The Spellman Series by Lisa Lutz is HANDS DOWN one of my favorite series out there. I wait and wait with baited breath for each new installment. I can finally breath right again... until I devour this one and the wait starts all over again. Perhaps I'll have to read them all again to slack my need.

The Executioner's Heart by George Mann
Published by: Tor
Publication Date: July 9th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"It’s normal for Inspector Bainbridge to be called to the scene of a crime, but this is the third murder in quick succession, each with the victim’s chest cracked open and their heart torn out. Bainbridge suspects there’s a symbolic reason for the stolen hearts, so he sends for special agent Sir Maurice Newbury and his determined assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes.

Unfortunately, neither of them are in much shape to take the case. Veronica is busy trying to find some way to alleviate the mysterious forces hounding her family. Newbury's been retained by a private client: Edward, Prince of Wales, who's concerned that his mother is losing her grip on the nation.

Eventually, though, it is determined that someone has hired a mercenary known as the Executioner to kill current and former agents of the Queen. The Executioner—French, beautiful, and covered in tattoos, her flesh inlaid with precious metals—is famed throughout Europe, with legends going back for years. Something is keeping her in a form of living stasis, but her heart is damaged, leaving her an emotionless shell, inexplicably driven to collect her victims’ hearts as trophies.

Why is Veronica acting the way she is? Why has she stopped trusting Bainbridge? What does the Prince of Wales really want? These are just some of the mysteries that Newbury and Hobbes will confront on the way to unearthing the secret of the Executioner’s Heart."

Not only I am beyond excited for the new Newbury and Hobbes, but I'm kind of in cover lust land too. Tor has outdone themselves again!

Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier
Published by: Knopf
Publication Date: July 9th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Neryn has finally found the rebel group at Shadowfell, and now her task is to seek out the elusive Guardians, vital to her training as a Caller. These four powerful beings have been increasingly at odds with human kind, and Neryn must prove her worth to them. She desperately needs their help to use her gift without compromising herself or the cause of overthrowing the evil King Keldec.

Neryn must journey with the tough and steadfast Tali, who looks on Neryn's love for the double agent Flint as a needless vulnerability. And perhaps it is. What Flint learns from the king will change the battlefield entirely—but in whose favor, no one knows."

Cover lust. Well, plus the description looks awesome, but mainly, it's all about that cover!

Hollow Earth: Bone Quill by John Barrowman and Carole Barrowman
Published by: Aladdin
Publication Date: July 9th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this thrilling sequel to Hollow Earth, Matt and Emily must stop someone from unleashing an army of mankind’s worst nightmares.

In the Middle Ages, an old monk used his powers and a bone quill to ink a magical manuscript, The Book of Beasts. Over the centuries the Book, and the quill, were lost.

Twins Matt and Emily Calder are Animare—just like their ancestor, the monk. The things they draw can be brought to life, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Now Matt and Em are being watched—hunted—because only they can use The Book of Beasts and the bone quill to release the terrible demons and monsters their ancestor illustrated.

And someone is tracking down the lost Book of Beasts, page by page, and reassembling it. Matt and Emily have no choice: They must get to the bone quill first…before somebody gets to them."

Oh, I hope they do another event in Milwaukee! So awesome to meet the siblings Barrowman last year!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bone Quill, Captain Jack, Carole Barrowman, George Mann, Hollow Earth, John Barrowman, Juliet Marillier, Lisa Lutz, Newbury and Hobbes, Raven Flight, The Executioner's Heart, The Last Word, The Spellman Files

Hollow Earth by John Barrowman and Carole Barrowman
Published by: Aladdin
Publication Date: October 30th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Imagination matters most in a world where art can keep monsters trapped—or set them free.
Lots of twins have a special connection, but twelve-year-old Matt and Emily Calder can do way more than finish each other’s sentences. Together, they are able to bring art to life and enter paintings at will. Their extraordinary abilities are highly sought after, particularly by a secret group who want to access the terrors called Hollow Earth. All the demons, devils, and evil creatures ever imagined are trapped for eternity in the world of Hollow Earth—trapped unless special powers release them.

The twins flee from London to a remote island off the west coast of Scotland in hopes of escaping their pursuers and gaining the protection of their grandfather, who has powers of his own. But the villains will stop at nothing to find Hollow Earth and harness the powers within. With so much at stake, nowhere is safe—and survival might be a fantasy."

I love the siblings Barrowman. What could make this cooler? If I actually get to go to the book launch in Milwaukee!

The Dead of Winter by Lee Collins
Published by: Angry Robot
Publication Date: October 30th, 2012
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 480 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cora and her husband hunt things - things that shouldn't exist. When the marshal of Leadville, Colorado, comes across a pair of mysterious deaths, he turns to Cora to find the creature responsible, but if Cora is to overcome the unnatural tide threatening to consume the small town, she must first confront her own tragic past as well as her present."

They had me at "True Blood meets True Grit."

The Twisted Tradgey of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber
Published by: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: October 30th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For Natalie Stewart, a normal life has never seemed so far away. Her only solace, Lord Jonathan Denbury, is wanted for murder. To clear his name, Denbury must return to England and assume the role of his demon doppelganger. But Natalie begins to doubt his true motives, especially as a new gentleman begins whispering in her ear. Natalie and Denbury may be able to visit each other in their dreams, but they can't escape the darkening shadows. Amid spontaneous explosions, friends turned enemies and dangerous secrets revealed, there's still a demon who has Natalie's scent, and someone is trying to resurrect the ultimate evil."

Just sounds like a fun late fall read!

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: October 30th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Hopelessly crossed in love, a boy of half-fairy parentage leaves his mundane Victorian-English village on a quest for a fallen star in the magical realm. The star proves to be an attractive woman with a hot temper, who plunges with our hero into adventures featuring witches, the lion and the unicorn, plotting elf-lords, ships that sail the sky, magical transformations, curses whose effects rebound, binding conditions with hidden loopholes and all the rest."

Beautiful new edition of Stardust, which, wasn't my favorite Gaiman, but it was my favorite movie adaptation of all his books... I'm pretending Neverwhere never existed, oh, so bad...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Carole Barrowman, John Barrowman, Leanna Renee Hieber, Lee Collins, Neil Gaiman, Stardust

"Is that supposed to be a compliment!?!" Carole Barrowman, sister of John Barrowman, the infamous Captain Jack, quipped last Wednesday night at her book signing at Boswell Books in Milwaukee. Carole was promoting I Am What I Am, the follow up to the successful biography of her brother she co-wrote with him which came out last year. Now of course there are those people who went to see her just because of her relation to John (yes, this means you weird lady on the futon who spent the hour before the talk sorting your pictures of Ianto and Jack while dicussing the week you saw all seven performances of La Cage)... and I won't say that I'm not guilty of the odd hope that for no reason whatsoever, John would accompany his sister to the signing... but the fact is she doesn't need her brother. I was lucky enough to see her speak last year and I have to say, she didn't disappoint this time either. She's witty, self deprectaing, energetic and knows how to work and interact with a crowd. Her reminiscences and stories are lively and humorous, the fact that they contain John Barrowman is just an added bonus, because these stories would be captivating even sans Captain Jack. She did a little storytelling, a little reading, and of course just the tiniest hint of spoiling with regard to Doctor Who and Torchwood. Because as she said "I know all the secrets of the next season of Torchwood." Followed after a beat, wherein the small child who I think is too young to be watching the show held his breath, by saying: "I'm so lying."

Carole said the reason for a second book, delivered 3 weeks before the book was due in stores (apparently following John around doesn't work any better than emailing him for getting him to keep deadlines) was that readers felt they got the grand sweep of John's life in the previous volume, but they wanted the details, the rants and opinions that John has no qualms in sharing. The paperback will even contain another chapter just devoted to the backstage antics of John's current run in the West End in La Cage Aux Folles as Albin. She went on to say the perks of being related to John is all the famous people she's met, from Whoopi Goldberg to Liza Minnelli. I personally was impressed that she got to meet Dawn French. Of course the down side is, with having to accompany him to all these events, she gets stuck with the people he doesn't want to talk to. One such lady was a stately grand dame at this gorgeous family seat where a fete was happening for a local school. Carole was placed next to this old lady and as she said, she understood maybe 3 words the lady said all night, and she was talking constantly. She thinks the words were: "Charming, Triffle and Sausage." But she amended: "Ok, not Sausage, I just wanted to say that." It later transpired that not only does this old lady have her own bodyguard who acts as her interpreter (as Carole said, "you think they could have told me about him before the meal!") but she's quite literally the BFF of Queen Elizabeth! She also gave Carole a tour of the house, which included a stop to the bathroom, where Carole said, she didn't know what was going on with this old lady telling her to sit on the toilet... it transpires that there's an original Constable etching on the wall opposite the toilet. As Carole said, "We don't have room for towels in my bathroom and they have a Constable!"

She went on to recount her families recent outing on the British version of Family Feud, All Star Family Fortunes, which they bitterly lost because of not knowing that the number one word for an attractive man is "Fit." Of course she said she thinks it was rigged, they polled 100 taxi drivers and what do they know about attractive men? Afterwards to ease the disappointment of loss John suggested stealing all the hangers in the green room, which they did. She then went on to recount a chapter in the book dealing with the kids show John hosts where they went to a zoo. A zoo run by Cybil and Basil Fawlty, where they could not tell who had it worse, the animals or the children who were staying there for their holidays. While she couldn't disclose the zoo for legal reasons I think it sounds suspiciously like the zoo from that one episode of Top Gear where the lions tried to destroy the convertible.

To conclude she gave us two little spoilers... Torchwood Four looks like it will eventually happen when time clears in Russell's, Julie's and John's respective schedules. But more importantly in my mind... Captain Jack will be there to say good bye to the 10th Doctor, but more intriguingly... he's working with the new Doctor! John had dinner with Matt and he said it felt like he was cheating on David. So it looks like perhaps Captain Jack will be on our screens in the near future... if there was one person who could bring Jack back to earth after season three of Torchwood, it's The Doctor!

After the talk she did a book signing, where my brother and I were second in line. She was very gracious and thanked us for coming to see "Just Her!" Also she asked where we came from and we said we drove over from Madison, turns out she'll be having a signing here in the not too distant future for the book Chicks Dig Time Lords, which she contributed too. Yeah! I don't have to drive to Milwaukee in the fog and in the rain... but you know what? It was worth it! She doesn't need Captain Jack. In fact, I think it would be pretty damn awesome to have her as a teacher.

Also for those who I know need it after the reference above, her's the Barrowman clan on Family Fortunes... (Sorry part 1 wasn't on YouTube, but I found it anyway!)

Posted by Miss Eliza at 2:06 AM 4 comments  

Labels: All Star Family Fortunes, Boswell Books, Captain Jack, Carole Barrowman, Chicks Dig Time Lords, Constable, Dawn French, Doctor Who, I Am What I Am, John Barrowman, La Cage Aux Folles, Torchwood